Competent warehouse automation is the most important stage in increasing the efficiency and profitability of each production. The modern market is a tough and aggressive environment, where the accuracy and speed of goods movement control play a huge role both in the work of the warehouse and in the activities of the enterprise as a whole. Most companies today use RFID technology as an alternative to barcodes.

RFID technology is the most relevant among solutions for automating warehouses and logistics processes. The advantages of introducing RFID in warehouse logistics are obvious: the technology allows you to control all the main processes, increases their reliability, speeds up the execution time, and also reduces the percentage of errors and inaccuracies in work that occur under the influence of the human factor. It is in the field of warehouse logistics that the introduction of RFID will make it possible to evaluate all the economic and strategic advantages of this technology.

Today, RFID technology is the most promising identification technology that allows you to fully control and improve logistics processes in a warehouse. However, the introduction of this technology in Russia in warehouse logistics is extremely slow. There are enough reasons for this, for example, the incorrect organization of the work of the structure, the fear of the need to rebuild the system of work that has developed over the years or the economic inefficiency of implementation, the lack of complete and reliable information about technological features RFID, etc.

RFID solutions in warehouse and logistics

The most important advantage of RFID in relation to the long-existing and entrenched bar coding technology due to its availability is the possibility of non-contact identification of a large number of tags per second (more than 50 pieces), despite the fact that the reading range can reach 12 meters. Also, the technology makes it possible to quickly control all the processes of transportation and accounting of goods. (Fig. 1).

Thanks to the use of contactless identification systems, a huge amount of previously inaccessible information about the movement of marked objects is automatically collected, whether it be a global supply chain or the movement of goods in a warehouse. There is openness and transparency of logistics processes occurring at the enterprise. The time for obtaining information about the movement of objects is significantly reduced and its reliability and reliability are increased. There are many solutions in the field of RFID implementation in warehouse logistics, for example:

The ability to track the movement of marked objects within an area or throughout the entire supply chain. An example is the labeling of returnable containers of an enterprise, the consumption and return of which is automatically taken into account, and the fact that a specific object has passed each technological stage is displayed in the database or in the label itself attached to the object.
Ability to remotely monitor the status of the cargo. If the company is engaged in the supply or transportation of goods for which it is important to comply with certain standards, such as temperature regime, then one of the solutions offered by RFID technology can be the installation of an RFID sensor / tag, which will allow you to record the temperature and receive data in real time. This allows you to control the safety of goods. An example of such a solution can be a branch of the DHL delivery service called “thermonet”. They offer a solution for the temperature control of the transported cargo in real time ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YZC_6aBP_Y).
The use of RFID technology in the automatic registration of transport of a logistics company. (Fig. 3). This solution will reduce the load on the checkpoint, reduce the time of registration of vehicles, automate the identification of the driver and invoices assigned to him. By marking the car with an RFID tag, you can assign a driver, invoice numbers indicating the goods being transported, the time of registration of entry and exit of the car to the warehouse, as well as any other information. Automatic identification of vehicles is carried out at checkpoints. Control points can be entrances/exits from the territory of the warehouse, goods acceptance/shipment areas, warehouse parking area, etc. The minimum equipment that a test point should be equipped with is a long-range antenna, a fixed reader, and software for automation and processing of data falling into the reading zone.
Possibility of implementing an access control system. Access control systems are an essential component for ensuring the security of a large warehouse and its individual areas, access to which for employees should be limited due to highly specialized production or storage of critical goods. Access to such objects can be provided for specialists of a certain level of training or for responsible persons. The access control system can provide maximum protection of the object from unauthorized entry.

Despite the undeniable advantage and innovative solutions that RFID offers, the cost-effectiveness of the technology remains in question, which is one of the main obstacles to its implementation in warehouse logistics. A significant reduction in the cost of implementing an RFID system will be observed when marking products with RFID tags at the production stage. This evolution of RFID technology can be compared to the history of bar coding. On average, the payback period of an RFID accounting system in warehouse logistics is determined by many parameters, in particular, such as: the goals of technology implementation, the quality of implementation, the scale of the project, the cost of equipment and maintenance.

The basis of economic efficiency in the implementation of RFID in warehouse logistics are such factors as increasing the speed of obtaining and processing information at all controlled points, increasing labor productivity, reducing costs and minimizing losses at all stages of logistics processes, increasing customer loyalty, ensuring control over the management of processes occurring at warehouse, reducing personnel costs.

In addition to saving time on accounting operations and improving the accuracy of the data obtained, as well as the ability to introduce new solutions into logistics processes, the introduction of an RFID system also provides indirect benefits. Thanks to the openness, accessibility and transparency of information about ongoing processes in the warehouse, you can realistically assess the actual losses and costs, get new important information about your own enterprise, identify weaknesses and correctly influence precisely those areas of work that really need attention and correction. And, of course, the best way to benefit from new technologies is to reflect on the appropriateness of their use, in consultation with experts in the field.

One of the Russian companies, IDlogic, has implemented many solutions in various industries, including in the warehouse. It was in the warehouse and logistics that the technology showed all its undeniable advantages over bar coding technology and showed its best side.

Tracking the movement of objects through workshops or warehouses is a rather urgent task. To track the movement of objects across the territory, we recommend the use of UHF tags. To account for movement, you can use both one label and a group of labels. At the same time, another approach is also possible, when a group of goods can be identified by a single label.

ISBC RFID equipment has a wide range of placement options, both covertly and openly: in an arch, in a passageway, in a gate, under a false ceiling or under a raised floor. Our experts will help you decide optimal scheme placement for the best performance and tag reading quality. At the same time, we will help to solve the issue of integration into the information system, which can be carried out both by our forces and by the IT employees of your company (). If necessary, we will definitely hold a training seminar in which we will tell you in detail about RFID technology and our equipment.

An example of the use of RFID equipment and tags for identifying car tires

An example of the use of RFID equipment and RFID tags for the control of returnable containers

An example of cargo tracking by production workshops

Sample application of RFID in dough production (vacuum packaging identification)

Challenges and benefits of using RFID technologies in warehouses

Organization of effective accounting of Inventory assets.
Control over the movement of products in the warehouse.
Significant reduction in staff errors when picking orders.
Reduction of personnel and other costs for warehouse maintenance.

RFID-equipment that is suitable for use in your enterprise

To automate warehouse accounting and logistics, you can choose RFID readers and RFID tags of almost any configuration that will best suit the specifics of your enterprise. On the page you can get acquainted with and which operate in the UHF frequency range.

When choosing readers, pay attention to the "Type of execution":

to terminals or automatic systems,

Similarly, you should pay attention to the "Type of execution" of RFID tags, they can be:

, which are conveniently mounted on pallets or attracted to accounting objects with plastic clamps,
or .

Transition from Barcoding to RFID

Currently, most enterprises and, in particular, warehouses, have introduced a product accounting system based on Barcodes. To make it easier to understand the possibilities of using RFID, it is worth treating this technology as an analogue of a barcode, however, it does not have the disadvantages of barcode-based systems, but, in addition, it has a number of advantages. We list some of them:

high wear resistance
high reliability,
the ability to write additional information to the label,
the ability to read data at considerable distances (for example, a stationary RFID reader paired with a highly directional antenna is able to read information from a passive tag from a distance of up to 20 meters),
there is no need for direct visibility of the label, it can even be embedded inside the object,
the ability to simultaneously scan several tags at once (for example, a stationary RFID reader can simultaneously process up to 150 tags per second), so you can significantly reduce the time for receiving and shipping goods.

Warehouse application examples

A brief description of the use of readers for solving warehouse management tasks can be downloaded in .pdf files from the links below:

Handheld RFID reader for inventory and product accounting. General information about the device and application (link)
Long range RFID readers Automation, inventory, monitoring, control. General information about the device and application (link)

The antennas are aligned and tuned to achieve maximum "readability" and performance inside and minimum outside. The equipment allows you to evaluate the signal level and set up filtering of tags by numbering (or by belonging to a particular product class).

To begin with, we will try to decide what RFID technology itself is. As the title implies, this is radio frequency identification of objects. In RFID technology, we always have a reader and a tag (transponder, i.e. a device that sends a signal).
Those. the reader receives information from the tag on which the data is written (usually this is its unique code). The tag itself consists of an integrated circuit (information is recorded on it) and an antenna for receiving and transmitting a signal.

Tags are active and passive. Active tags have their own power supply, so they can send a signal themselves and be read from a long distance. Passive tags do not have their own energy source and are activated when they receive a signal from the reader and give it the recorded information.

Active tags are quite large and expensive. Passive tags can be miniature. Their price is comparable to the cost of a simple label.

Application of RFID technology for business automation

RFID technology has many applications, but in this article we will talk specifically about automation. warehouse activities and conducting inventories. We believe that the use of this technology in these areas is relevant for almost any business.

Inventory automation with RFID

This is probably the easiest way to apply RFID technology. Any company conducts an inventory. You can inventory an item in a store, inventory in a warehouse, or fixed assets.
RFID technology greatly simplifies inventory. Thanks to this technology, the inventory time is reduced by 10 times! Indeed, unlike paper technology or barcoding, you do not need to check each product - just walk next to the tag and the reader will already receive a signal from it.

What do we need to conduct such an inventory?

Passive RFID tags. The cost of the tag is about $0.5 for non-metallic materials (if you order in large quantities, the price can be much lower). The cost of a label for metal is about $ 1.5.
RFID reader. Usually, a data collection terminal with an RFID function and specially developed software is used for these purposes (from $ 1000)
Special software for receiving and processing data from tags (depending on functionality from 15 thousand rubles) is installed on the TSD.
An accounting system that stores data on goods and fixed assets (usually based on 1C). It needs to be integrated with RFID software.

The inventory process is simple. You just need to take the data collection terminal with the nomenclature loaded into it and count all the marks from the inventoryed property.

Implementation of RFID in the warehouse

The introduction of RFID in a warehouse does not differ fundamentally from inventory based on this technology. There are also readers and tags.
Only now readers are not only mobile, but also stationary. The latter can be mounted on shelves, loaders or gates.
The stationary reader has the ability to mount antennas that send a radio signal. Usually, from 2 to 8 antennas are connected to the reader. The cost of one stationary reader is about $2000
Most often, such readers are attached to the gate to receive information from all the tags that are carried through them. Therefore, stationary readers are also called portal readers.
The general scheme of work in an RFID warehouse may look like the picture below:

RFID technologies in the warehouse are successfully combined with the use of WMS systems and address storage. At the same time, RFID tags can make it possible to create so-called "smart shelves" in the warehouse, when we can get real-time data about what is in a particular cell, thanks to reading the tags on a particular rack.
Inventory in the warehouse can be carried out both with the help of data collection terminals and with the help of readers installed on the loader.

Warehouse automation requires more advanced software than inventory control. Because in this case we have complex system from many different readers that simultaneously receive data from thousands of tags. Such software costs around 120 thousand rubles. At the same time, it is not independent and must be integrated into the WMS system in the warehouse, or into the customer's accounting system.

In general, RFID technology is quite complex and expensive. But the results of implementation usually pay off the funds invested in it. Because productivity increases many times, with a significant reduction in product losses.

Automation of a warehouse for finished products of an industrial enterprise

Upon receipt of finished products at the warehouse, it is assumed:
1. Availability of interface with systems automatic control(PCS) by production for automatic input of data on the type and quantity of products entering the warehouse. The input of such information is usually based on the use of stationary barcode scanners. It is also possible semi-automatic manual data entry from radio terminals at the stage of acceptance and QCD in production by employees of these services.
2. Use of means of applying labels with bar codes or means of radio frequency identification (radio tags).
3. The warehouse management system, based on the data coming from the automated process control system or the QCD radio terminals, must issue commands to print labels with data on the received products and control the means for marking.
4. The procedure for the receipt of finished products at the warehouse can be either fully automated (in the presence of conveyor lines) or require the intervention of warehouse personnel (acceptance by storekeepers of labeled products coming from production).
5. Automatic transfer of data on products received to the warehouse to the ERP system.
6. Existence of a developed quality control process that provides control over the sampling process.

When placing products in a warehouse, you must:
1. Mandatory support for the operation of radio terminal equipment.
2. Dynamic management of the placement of products in the warehouse with its serial and batch accounting (if such accounting is used).
3. The ability of the system to work with storage locations of various product capacities.
4. Placement of products, taking into account the need for its accelerated shipment to the buyer.

When collecting orders for products, you need to ensure:
1. The ability to automatically accept orders for shipment to work (the control system must independently calculate the time for the selection of a specific order and issue a task for the beginning of this collection in a timely manner).
2. "Ability" of the control system to work with cells of various types and places for floor storage of products on the principles of selection FIFO or LIFO; a selection of orders, both in terms of product expiration dates, and in batches and series, depending on the scheduled time of its removal from the warehouse.
3. Support for work with various means of automating the collection of orders (conveyors, carousels, elevators, etc.).
4. When exporting products from the warehouse, it is advisable to support the possibility of their direct shipment directly from the finishing production lines without temporary placement in the warehouse.
5. The possibility of repacking products and assembling kits (for example, furniture production)

Integration with the corporate enterprise management system is achieved through:
1. The presence of an interface for communication with other information systems based on various protocols (base-base, XML text files).
2. An advanced system for creating and transmitting reports.

Thus, the finished goods warehouse management system is characterized by a high degree of integration with the corporate enterprise management system, the ability to support a wide range of additional equipment, as well as significant autonomy for the possibility of intervention of warehouse personnel in the operation of the control system.

In this regard, such systems are close in their parameters to industrial automated systems, which, in other respects, is not surprising, since in many enterprises the warehouse is called the finished product workshop and is considered as part of the production.

So, for the complex automation of the warehouse of finished products based on barcoding technology, online control over warehouse operations and address storage of goods, the company BS proposes a project consisting of:
1.
2. to support automatic identification: radio data collection terminals, wireless networks, label printers, expendable materials as self-adhesive labels or hanging tags
3. Implementation services: inspection, development of technical specifications, consulting, system installation, personnel training, equipment installation, commissioning.

Our forte is the use of the optimal implementation methodology and work experience. Thanks to this, we achieve results in a short time and with minimal project risks, which will allow the company to recoup the invested funds as soon as possible.

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MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCERUSSIAN FEDERATION

FACULTY OF MARKETING

Department of Logistics

Course work

on the topic: "Application of technology RFID for automation of warehouse activities»

Moscow 2010

Introduction

RFID tag product

Different enterprises come to solving the problem of warehouse automation in different ways, however, each of them has problems in the work of the warehouse, which become very critical at some point. The management cannot get the necessary information in a timely manner, the work of the staff is out of control, the goods "mysteriously disappear" without leaving the warehouse gate. Each enterprise can have many such difficulties, and together they lead to significant cumulative losses for the company, forcing its management to think about ways to overcome them. One of them is the introduction of an automated warehouse management system.

AT modern world With the constant growth of transport and cargo flows, a huge increase in the number of commodity items, the issues of transport and warehouse logistics play an increasingly important role. The most common and automatic identification technology used in tasks warehouse automation and logistics, is bar coding. This is primarily due to the cost of implementing a bar-coding system in a warehouse. It is the cheapness of barcode labels compared to radio frequency tags (RFID) that determines the high popularity of this technology today. But with the growth of flows, this technology is no longer so popular. In this regard, in recent years around the world, there has been an increasing interest in new technology radio frequency product identification (RFID). Any product during production or warehouse processing can be provided with an RFID RFID tag. RFID is a modern identification technology that provides significantly more options than traditional marking systems.

Chapter 1. RFID

1.1 The concept of RFID

RFID or RFID is a technology for automatic data entry, which makes it possible to quickly read information from small radio tags at a distance and in the absence of direct visibility using stationary and mobile readers.

Radio Frequency Identification (RDIF) is used to identify, track, sort and locate an unlimited number of items including people, vehicles, clothing, containers, shipping containers and pallets. It can be used in applications such as access control, identification vehicle, control of inventories, automation of production, control over the movement of cargo and transport flows, automation of warehouse processing, automation of loading and unloading. RFID is based on radio frequency and is a contactless technology requiring neither contact with the reader nor line of sight of the reader (as in barcode technology). That's why RFID removes the problems associated with "contact" and "in sight" technologies. For example, good reading is guaranteed in heat, rain, cold (-30C), grease or corrosive chemicals.

StandardRFID system consists of:

· Tags(tag) - devices capable of storing and transmitting data. The memory of the tags contains their unique identification code. Some tags have a writable memory.

· Readers(reader) - devices that read information from tags and write data to them. These devices can be either permanently connected to the accounting system or work autonomously.

· Accounting system- software that accumulates and analyzes information received from tags and links all elements into a single system. Most modern accounting systems (1C programs, corporate information systems - MS Axapta, R3Com) are already compatible with RFID technology and do not require special development.

Objects are identified by a unique digital code, read from the memory of the electronic label attached to the identification object. The reader contains a transmitter and an antenna, through which an electromagnetic field of a certain frequency is emitted. Radio-frequency tags that have fallen into the coverage area of the reading field "respond" with their own signal containing information (product identification number, user data, etc.). The signal is picked up by the reader's antenna, the information is decoded and transferred to a computer for processing.

Tags are:

By type of food:

1. Active - use the energy of the built-in battery for data transmission (reading zone up to 100 meters).

2. Passive - use the energy emitted by the reader (range up to 8 meters). Passive tags are smaller and lighter than active tags, less expensive, and have a virtually unlimited lifespan.

By type of memory:

1. "RO" (Read Only) - data is written only once during production. Such labels are only suitable for identification. No new information can be written into them, and they are almost impossible to fake.

2. "WORM" (Write Once Read Many) - in addition to a unique identifier, such tags contain a block of write-once memory, which can be read many times in the future.

3. "RW" (Read and Write) - such tags contain an identifier and a memory block for reading / writing information. The data in them can be overwritten a large number of times.

By execution (determined by the goals and conditions for the use of tags):

1. Self-adhesive paper or lavsan labels;

2. Standard plastic cards;

3. Disc labels (including those with a central hole for attaching to a pallet);

4. Different kinds key rings;

5. Special version for harsh environments.

Currently, there is a huge variety of tags, so a suitable design can be selected for any task, depending on the needs of the customer.

The development of RFID technology is closely related to the global spread of the Electronic Product Code (EPC) system - a unified global system for digital marking of goods, cargo, manufacturers. UHF tags of the latest generation - "Generation 2" (more precisely, Class 1 Gen 2), are designed to record and store EPC codes. They are issued both with an "empty" identifier field, which is filled in when the label is used (and can be protected from being overwritten later), and an invariable identifier, which can be used as a unique one without fear of forgery or duplication.

Data Readers with labels also come in several types. By execution, readers are divided into stationary and portable (mobile). Stationary readers are mounted motionless on walls, portals and other suitable places. They can be made in the form of a gate, built into a table or fixed next to the conveyor along the path of the products. Compared to portable readers, readers of this type usually have a larger reading area and power and are able to simultaneously process data from several dozen tags. Stationary readers are usually directly connected to a computer on which a control and accounting program is installed. The task of such readers is to gradually record the movement of marked objects in real time.

Portable readers have a relatively shorter range and often do not have a permanent connection with the control and accounting program. Mobile readers have an internal memory that stores data from read tags (then this information can be downloaded to a computer) and, like stationary readers, are able to write data to a tag (for example, information about the control performed). Depending on the frequency range of the tag, the distance of stable reading and writing data to them will be different.

Software. By itself, fixing tags on accounting objects, whether they are books or goods in a warehouse, is not able to solve the problems of accounting and tracking. In order for the built RFID system to effectively solve its problems, it must be organically integrated with the accounting system. Only if the accounting program fully supports the functions provided by the RFID system, the consumer will be able to get the maximum profit from the implementation.

The integration of the RFID components with the accounting system is carried out by Solution Providers, such as Aero Solutions. A professionally built system will not require retraining of personnel, will not force you to transfer / convert data, and will not disrupt the usual rhythm of the enterprise. All the advantages of contactless identification technology will become available in a familiar software shell. Aero Solutions has already integrated RFID with the most popular accounting and enterprise management programs, such as Microsoft Navision / Axapta, 1C family programs (1C-Address warehouse, 1C-VIP warehouse, 1C-Enterprise), library information systems IRBIS, Ruslan, Mark - SQL.

1.2 Detection systemsRTLSand EAS

The problem of automatic tracking of goods at any stage of its movement from producer to consumer has always been quite universal and included such stages as storage, inventory, movement of goods, location of individual items, etc. that place, or they can simply be forgotten. Many organizations describe the warehouse inventory process as the process of moving product from one black hole to another.

Imagine a situation where you are trying to locate one container out of a thousand in a vast area where they are all exactly the same. The container can be as small as a pallet or as big as a trailer. Existing traditional technologies will at best help record when it was received and where it was sent, but none of them can provide accurate real-time information about all its movements and whereabouts, with the exception of RF1D systems.

To do this, based on RFID, real-time detection systems or RTLS(Real Time Locating Systems). These are fully automatic systems that constantly track the location of items and personnel. RTLS consist of an active radio tag and a tag detection system, usually made in the form of a matrix of detection devices (scanner antennas), which are installed at a distance of 15 to 30 meters. The system constantly updates the information in the database with a frequency of several seconds to several hours (for rarely moved objects). The systems can track thousands of tags at the same time, the tag battery life exceeds 5 years.

Whereas in a "traditional" RFID system, tags are read as they pass through certain parts of a structured process, RTLS tags are read continuously, regardless of the process that moves the tags. For such unstructured processes, reading may also depend on people when they themselves place an object with a tag in the reading field of the antenna-scanner, or a handheld scanner in the field of the tag. However, with the slightest mistake, the location of the object may not be determined.

RTLS has two varieties - GPS (Global Positioning System) and LLS (Local Locating System). These technologies, together with "traditional" RFID, essentially make "total object tracking" available for commercial use. This concept is now fundamental in military logistics. GPS makes it possible to effectively track the location of cargo around the world and transmit this information via radio to the center, while the object with the reader antenna installed on it determines its location by itself by scanning the signal from the nearest radio tag. However, this is not enough to completely solve the problem, because it is necessary to know the location of the object inside the premises, and not just on the way from one building to another. LPS, using pallets and containers with active long-range radio tags, solves the problems of detection at the level of pallets in the overall logistics and distribution chain. And finally, low-cost passive RFID tags installed on the product help track the production and packaging process.

EAS systems(Electronic Article Surveillance) are widely used in retail. These systems are a special case of RFID technology, when the tag contains only one bit of information. EAS technology involves the identification of objects while passing through the control zone - special gates. It is usually used to prevent unauthorized removal from a store, library, etc. The EAS systems market has more than 800,000 installations worldwide.

In stores, a special radioactive tag is attached to the goods: a label marker or a plastic tag. Readers with an antenna (transmitter and receiver) are placed at the exits of POS nodes, or on the doors at the entrance and control the removal of unpaid goods. If you try to carry out unauthorized removal of goods while passing by the antenna, the system gives a signal. The elements of the EAS-system in trade are also a deactivator for electronic deactivation of the marker from the purchased goods and a device for removing the tag from the purchased goods.

The general principle of operation of the system can be described as follows: the transmitter sends a signal to the receiver at a certain frequency. This forms the area of protection. When it enters this area, the tag creates some violation, which is recorded by the receiver. The specific way a tag generates a signal interrupt is hallmark one or another technology used in different EAS systems (see Table 1). The tag in the system is a key element, because it must create a unique signal that cannot be repeated under any natural circumstances to avoid false alarms. A specific type of technology determines the size of the protection area, the method of blocking the signal, the size and visibility of the tag, the level of the alarm, as well as the percentage of detection and cost. The physics of a particular EAS tag and, as a result, the technology used determines the frequency at which the guardband occurs.

EAS systems use passive tags: plastic clothing tags (read-only) and modifiable label markers. The cost of plastic tags is in the range of .7-.5, while the cost of markers is .04-.10. In order to save space at POS nodes, some manufacturers integrate deactivators with conventional barcode scanners.

A hot topic at EAS is Source Tagging, where a marker is applied to a product at the production or packaging stage, eliminating the need to label the product in the store, which saves a lot of time and money. The security marker is located under the packaging, it is invisible, which makes it impossible for an intruder to remove it.

1.3 Advantagesand shortcomingsFRID

FRID technology makes it possible not to collect data with paper and pencil. As a rule, the amount of data that needs to be collected is simply incommensurable, and accordingly it takes a huge amount of time to process this information, which is why the most practical method of collecting data is automated using computer technology. Automatic data collection organizes the data in the system, making information quickly available. In manufacturing, the ability to quickly and timely detect when a workflow is not on schedule is highly valued. Unlike barcodes, FRID enables automatic identification of items without placing the item next to the reader. FRID technology solves this problem by wirelessly transmitting identification information from items to the reader. No direct line of sight to the reader is required.

Advantages of RFID technology over bar coding:

1. RFID systems work with any groups of goods. Bar coding systems can only work with a limited range of products and certain packaging. Barcodes generally do not work with industrial goods, while RFID systems work with absolutely any group of goods.

2. The data from the tag is read in a non-contact way. In this case, the label should not be in the field of view of the reader and can be hidden inside the product or its packaging.

3. Greater reading distance. An RFID tag can be read at a much greater distance than a barcode. Depending on the model of the tag and the reader, the reading radius can be up to several tens of meters.

4. Possibility to read several labels at the same time. The anti-collision mechanism allows you to determine the exact number of tags that are currently in the antenna's field of action.

5. Location label has no special significance for the reader. In order to ensure automatic reading of the barcode, standards committees have developed rules for placing barcode symbols on product and shipping packaging. For radio frequency tags, these requirements are not essential. The only thing that is required to read information from the RFID tag is that it is in the range of the RFID scanner.

6. The identification label data may be supplemented. While bar code data is written only once (when printed), the information stored in an RFID tag can be changed, supplemented or replaced by another under appropriate conditions. This provision applies only to Read/Write tags for multiple writes and reads of information.

7. Much more data can be written to a tag. Ordinary barcodes can contain information of no more than 50 bytes (characters), and to reproduce such a character, an area the size of standard sheet A4 format.

8. An RFID tag can easily fit 1000 bytes on a 1 sq.cm chip. The placement of information of 10,000 bytes does not represent a serious technical problem either.

9. Data is entered onto the label much faster. To obtain a bar code, it is usually necessary to print its symbol either directly on the packaging material or on a paper label. RFID tags can be implanted in the base of the pallet or original packaging for the entire period of their operation. The data on the content of the package itself is recorded in a non-contact way in no more than 1 second.

10. The data on the label can be classified. Like any digital device, an RFID tag has the ability to password-protect data writing and reading operations. In addition, information can be encrypted. You can store private and public data in the same label at the same time. This makes RFID tags ideal for protecting goods and valuables from counterfeiting and theft.

11. RFID tags are more durable. In areas where the same tagged object can be used countless times (for example, when identifying pallets or returnable containers), an RFID tag proves to be an ideal means of identification, as it can be used up to 1,000,000 times.

12. The tag is better protected from environmental influences. RFID tags do not need to be placed on outside packaging (object). Therefore, they are better protected in the conditions of storage, handling and transportation of logistics units. Unlike a bar code, they are not affected by dust and dirt.

13. Intelligent behavior. An RFID tag can be used for other purposes besides just being a data store and transporter. A barcode, on the other hand, does not have any intelligence and is only a means of storing data.

Disadvantages of RFID compared to barcode:

1. The cost of RFID tags is much higher than the cost of barcode labels on product packaging. In the field of logistics and cargo transportation, the cost of an RFID tag can be quite insignificant compared to the cost of the contents of the container. Therefore, large supermarkets can start using RFID by applying RFID tags on crates, pallets and containers.

2. Impossibility of placement under metal and electrically conductive surfaces. Radio frequency tags are affected by metal (the electromagnetic field is shielded by conductive surfaces). Therefore, before using RFID tags in packages of a certain type (for example, metal containers) the packaging should be upgraded. This provision also applies to certain types of packaging for liquid food products sealed with foil (the essence is a thin sheet of metal).

1.4 RFID system application

RFID is used in all areas of automatic data acquisition; this technology allows non-contact identification of objects using radio frequency (RF). RFID systems are used in a variety of cases where prompt and accurate control, tracking and accounting of numerous movements of various objects is required.

The scope of the system is determined by its frequency:

· High-frequency (850-950 MHz and 2.4-5 GHz) are used where long distance and high reading speed are required, such as monitoring railway cars or cars. For example, the reader is installed on gates or barriers, and the transponder is fixed on the windshield or side window of the car. The long range makes it possible to safely install readers out of reach of people.

· Intermediate frequency (10 -15 MHz) - where large amounts of data must be transmitted. Scope: logistics of goods circulation tracking, retail trade: inventory of goods, accounting of warehouse movements.

· Low-frequency (100-500 kHz) are used where a small distance between the object and the reader is acceptable. The usual reading distance is 0.5 meters, and for tags built into small “key fobs”, the reading range is usually even less - about 0.1 meters. Scope: most access control systems, contactless cards, warehouse and production management use low frequency.

The main applications of RFID technology include:

· Warehouse logistics;

Logistics and supply chain management from producer to consumer in real time;

identification of moving objects in real time (accounting for vehicles, cars in moving trains);

Identification of vehicles in parking lots, parking lots, bus stations;

automation of assembly processes in industrial production;

· systems of control of access to premises and constructions;

providing passengers with electronic tickets;

express delivery of parcels;

handling and delivery of baggage on airlines;

car security systems;

Checking the transaction of payment systems for authenticity;

prevention of counterfeiting of various categories of goods;

· marking (identification) of property, documents, library materials, etc.

Chapter 2 Using RFID in Practice

2.1 RFIDin stock

Fig. 1. Warehouse automation at the modern level.

In the RFID system, each unit of goods or containers, for example, a box, a box, a pallet, when it enters the warehouse, passes through a gate with a built-in RFID antenna, while reading information from the tag and entering it into the database. If there are no radio frequency tags on the goods at the time of receipt, they must be pasted.

Another possible option is to mount the antennas directly on the loaders. The label contains information about the supplier, date and time of receipt, type of goods, quantity, location, etc. Thus, the inventory of the warehouse becomes possible absolutely at any time. When goods are shipped through the exit gate, the time and place of shipment of the goods are noted. Additionally, hand-held RFID readers can be used, which exist in various versions.

The economic effect of the introduction of RFID systems is calculated taking into account the current state of the warehouse, the problems that arise during its operation, the expected cost reduction, downtime, losses, increase in throughput, which is achieved by more accurate planning using data obtained using the RFID system. The ultimate goal is the harmonious functioning of the warehouse as a single organism, which is impossible without complete and accurate information about the processes taking place on its territory at any time.

Effective warehouse management requires the following tasks:

automatic collection of real-time information on the receipt and sale of goods;

Elimination of information loss due to the use of a unified accounting and control system;

· possibility quick search goods;

Reducing the time for all logistics operations.

Using the RFID system allows you to achieve the following results:

Reduce labor costs, eliminate personnel errors, automate a significant part of the work;

improve information processing by eliminating manual input and related errors;

Reduce costs and loss of time from searching for goods and assembling orders;

Quickly and accurately conduct inventory;

· Eliminate incorrect shipments.

An example of the implementation of RFID, which turned out to be an optimal alternative to bar coding. A large domestic distributor used the services of 3PL logistics, in particular, outsourcing transportation. Shipment from the warehouse and acceptance of goods by the forwarder was carried out according to the following scheme. The distributor's employee, using a hand-held barcode scanner, checked the presence of each unit of the transport package already formed on the pallet (50 boxes on average). Then the forwarder similar actions checked the conformity of the received cargo. If the position of at least one box made it impossible to read the barcode, or the person simply missed a unit of cargo, then the whole process would start over. Or it was necessary to disassemble the ready-made transport package, which entailed not only the loss of time, but also the cost of packaging materials.

The RFID system made it possible to identify and account for the entire cargo in 20 seconds, regardless of the position of its units, saving both time and money. By the way, the use of this technology also allows you to increase the capacity of existing warehouse space. For example, if you increase the speed of transport loading, then there is no need to build additional ramps.

Depending on the specifics of cargo handling operations, different types of readers can be installed in the warehouse:

Stationary - used at the checkpoint for instant accounting of a large amount of cargo;

manual - used for periodic accounting;

mobile readers can be installed, for example, on loading equipment, which ensures the transparency of the movement of goods within the warehouse.

2.2 ApplicationRFIDWal-Mart Stores Inc.andTesco PLC

The world's largest retail chains Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Tesco PLC and Metro AG have already appreciated the potential benefits of RFID technology and are very actively implementing it in their distribution centers and warehouse complexes. 40 Ford Motor Co. plants equipped with radio identification systems. The English company Tesco has installed more than 4,000 first-generation readers and 16,000 antennas to read data from radio labels of retail products passing through the gates of the docks of British warehouses. largest retail store In the UK, Tesco has also applied RFID tags to Gillette's blades, allowing it to track the movement of every item in the warehouse and on the sales floor. If the effect is clear, RFID tags could be used on many products and merchandise in the future. This will greatly facilitate the work of staff with information and have a beneficial effect on customer service. Using radio tags, it is easy to find out how many items of a particular product are on the shelves when their expiration date ends.

The German company Metro began a pilot project in November 2005, in which 100 suppliers installed RFID tags with destination data in 10 wholesale stores and 250 warehouses.

Metro's first RFID project, says Wolfram, was aimed at solving the out-of-stock problem known to any retailer (lack of goods in a store or warehouse). On empty shelves, an average of 8% of retailers' annual revenue is lost - globally, this is about $93 billion a year. The use of RFID even at the warehouse level can reduce out-of-stock by 15-20%.

The project was completed in October 2007. “Now 180 German stores of Metro Cash & Carry and Real, as well as distribution centers and warehouses of Metro Group Logistics (MGL) are fully automated. This is the first example practical use RFID of this magnitude in Europe,” proud Wolfram. According to him, new system helped to save about ?8 million in 2007

According to a study by the American system integrator Alinean, the use of RFID in warehouses helps prevent delivery errors, while increasing order processing speed by 20-30%, and operating costs are reduced by 2-5%. Which ultimately leads to an increase in annual revenue by 2-7%. RFID makes it much easier to track or find a missing item in the supply chain, reducing losses at this stage by 18%.

Simon Langford, Wal-Mart's manager of global RFID strategies, estimates that RFID and barcoding technology will co-exist for the next 10 to 15 years.

All current projects of the world's largest retailers (Wal-Mart, Metro, Target) on the use of RFID technology are limited to the use of tags for marking pallets, boxes and crates of goods. Specifically, in June 2003, Wal-Mart required 100 of its largest suppliers to switch to RFID technology for tagging boxes, crates, and pallets by 2005. In August 2003, Wal-Mart said that by 2006, all suppliers should be using RFID tags to tag boxes, crates, and pallets.

In late April of this year, Wal-Mart began an RFID pilot project at its distribution center and 7 super centers around Dallas, Texas. The retail giant's decision appears to be significant for the fate of this technology. Investor market research firm Sanford C. Bernstein estimates that by fully adopting RFID technology, Wal-Mart could save up to $8.4 billion each year by reducing manual labor, eliminating sales losses from stock-outs, and increasing efficiency. and "transparency" of its supply chain.

History shows that if Wal-Mart gives an order, then everyone is saluted. During the 1980s, Wal-Mart played a pivotal role in the spread of bar coding technology. It was standardized in 1973, but by 1984 only 15,000 manufacturers of goods put barcodes on their products. Wal-Mart hit the ground running, and by 1987, 75,000 suppliers were using barcodes (according to AMR Research).

2.3 RFID in Russia

The interest and level of knowledge of our compatriots in the field of RFID for Last year progressed noticeably. And although a huge number of misconceptions that traditionally accompany new technologies remain, there are functioning RFID systems in Russia that clearly demonstrate cost-effectiveness. True, there are not so many such enterprises, and the lion's share is occupied by pilot projects.

Enterprises of quite different levels and industries, from factories for manufacturing and processing raw materials to clothing companies, were the first to try out all the advantages of this technology, most of which faced two problems. First, most companies want to leave things as they are, and implement RFID to get stunning results. First of all, it is extremely necessary to streamline, optimize and make transparent those processes within whose jurisdiction the implementation of RFID falls. If, for example, there is a mess in the warehouse, no one is responsible for anything, no one knows anything, and in general all the ongoing processes of receiving storage and shipment occur chaotically, then RFID systems will bring even more panic and confusion!

Many are literally frightened that with the introduction of RFID, it will be necessary to increase the acceptance area or additionally allocate a marking area, follow instructions clearly, and providing accurate and reliable quantitative and qualitative indicators of the warehouse’s work seems unthinkable. In this case, we cannot talk about using a high-tech and precise control tool. Even if a clear order is put in place, the very chain of movement of goods should assume the possibility of using radio frequency identification systems. For example, one of the most powerful Russian carriers sends goods literally from wheels. There is simply no time to mark in this case!

Second problem. Now it is really very profitable and fashionable to engage in RFID systems. The number of companies that seek to occupy the RFID niche is growing every day. At the same time, most of them forget that the integration of RFID systems is a very complex and responsible matter. And in order to have qualified personnel and the necessary knowledge in this area, solid financial injections and a certain period of time are required. In addition, the reliability and financial responsibility of the integrator company play an important role when choosing an equipment supplier. Suffer in these cases only customers who act as guinea pigs, who believed the ambitious and exaggerated statements of integrators. As a result, the customer incurs substantial financial losses, and a negative attitude is formed towards the technology.

In conclusion, I would like to add that RFID technology can neither be underestimated nor overestimated, there are no identical projects in principle and cannot exist. Each warehouse, each production line, each supply chain is an organism that has both a general resemblance to its kind, and an individuality and peculiarity inherent only to it. Therefore, the best way to benefit from new technologies is to reflect on the appropriateness of their use, in consultation with experts in the field.

There are countless examples of RFID implementation in real business processes in Russia, and one of them is the implementation of a management system technological processes Petersburg "Fish Processing Plant No. 1". As part of the project to install the Microsoft Dynamics AX (Axapta) ERP system, a process control system was introduced at the enterprise that tracks the movement of containers in the workshop, based on RFID technology. Pallets were equipped with radio tags, in which products are moved between warehouses and workshops of the enterprise, which made it possible to control its movement and optimize the loading of processing equipment for processing, the capacities of which were constantly lacking before. Information about which defroster has free taro-places, how many of them, which batches of raw materials have already been defrosted and can be sent for further processing, is sent directly to the computers of technologists. To reduce losses from theft, tag readers were also equipped with scales and gates of technological premises. The growth in production volumes and the decrease in the percentage of defects, according to the specialists of the plant, made it possible to quickly pay for the introduction of an automated control system.

Another test project was implemented in Nizhny Novgorod at GAZ. There, a system based on RFID tags has been implemented on the assembly line of Gazelle commercial trucks. It is used to control and optimize the supply chain of aggregates and components to the assembly line, automate inventory control, identify finished products and semi-finished products.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would like to say that RFID technology has a huge potential for application in various fields of activity, especially in the field of transport and warehouse logistics, and will develop at a rapid pace. According to experts' forecasts, the use of FRID technology will increase turnover, reduce inventory, reduce transportation costs, reduce losses from loss and theft, and optimize logistics costs.

In our country, this technology is still taking its first steps, even taking into account the difficulties of its implementation, such as, for example, obtaining permission to use the radio frequency. But it has a great future, and those companies that use it have made a qualitative leap in their development and conquest of the transport and warehouse logistics market.

RFID technology is considered to be rapidly developing due to many important applications in the field of logistics and warehouse management. According to some estimates, within a few next years the number of products with "smart labels" will grow by more than 20% per year. The use of technology and its impact are enormous, from improving the efficiency of commodity supply chains to improving the safety of airports and factories. In addition to identification, RFID technologies in combination with computer sensors allow you to control the condition of the goods. Existing technologies are becoming cheaper and thinner, the electronic world is penetrating and deepening our lives, and completely new forms of electronic integration are emerging.

It should be noted that RFID has its drawbacks and limitations. There are materials "opaque" for radio waves. The most important example is metal objects. If there are metal objects in the cargo box, if it is necessary to mark massive metal objects, the benefits of RFID are much more difficult to exploit. There are radio tags that can work on metal, but they are usually expensive and bulky. For a large warehousing business that does not fall under these two constraints, the efficiency gains and cost savings can be very large and outweigh the costs of RFID tags and equipment. In addition, the metal significantly interferes only if the metal structures to a large extent block the "field of view" of the reader's antenna. If line-of-sight is possible, one of the main advantages of RFID remains in effect - the ability to read many tags at a time.

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Warehouse automation system ”RFID-Control”. Automation of finished goods warehouse